Publications

This study has analysed the relative efficiencies of runoff into dams supplying Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and of rainwater harvesting in those cities. It is shown that both respond differently to drought and climate change forcing, with rainwater harvesting systems in cities exhibiting a more uniform performance across these stressors.

The “Heritage Mews” urban development is an integrated water cycle management project that applies a regime-in-balance stormwater management strategy which requires runoff volume from a developed site to be equal to the discharge from the site prior to development in the adopted critical design storm. Retention and infiltration technology, the first option of choice, was impractical at “Heritage Mews” because of the impermeable nature of its surface geology.

This paper outlines key stormwater management insights from initiation of water cycle management policies across multiple jurisdictions during the last decade. Systems Frameworks for Big Data analysis are presented as powerful processes for framing evidence based policy from the “bottom up” using all available data and integrating spatial and temporal scales of behaviour. It is a profound insight that waterways, land uses and stormwater management are inexorably linked to water cycle and town planning systems and are the foundations of successful water cycle management.

Figtree Place is a water sensitive urban redevelopment consisting of 27 residential units located in Hamilton, an inner suburb of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. The site uses rainwater tanks, infiltration trenches and a central basin where cleansed stormwater enters the unconfined aquifer for water retention and retrieval. A two-year monitoring program for roofwater, raintanks, hot water systems and first flush pits has commenced with samples taken from these sources tested for compliance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Total water saving of around 60% has been shown to be feasible as well as almost complete storm runoff retention.

Monitoring of water quality in catchments is often based on monthly or weekly grab sampling at a site over a given length of time. Interpretation of water quality data is then based on threshold criteria and the catchment response or risks evaluated relative to these values.

A novel approach for concurrently simulating daily catchment rainfall, streamflow and urban demand for water supply headworks modelling of the Central Coast Region of New South Wales is presented. This approach satisfactorily reproduces observed daily, monthly, annual rainfall statistics at the multiple sites.

This paper provides a snapshot of the integrated systems analysis of the Greater Melbourne region used to provide evidence for the Ministerial Advisory Council for the development of the Living Melbourne Living Victoria water policy and, the ultimate cabinet approval of the Melbourne’s Water Future strategy.